Diablo Valley College Academic Senate Bylaws BYLAWS for the ACADEMIC SENATE and SENATE COUNCIL (Adopted 5/21/91, Revised 9/1/92, Revised 04/23/02, Revised 5/5/15) Article I: Academic Senate General meetings of the Academic Senate will be for discussion, debate, and for informational purposes. Voting on issues will be carried out as specified in Article IV, Section 1D of the Constitution. Article II: Academic Senate Council Section 1. Regular Academic Senate Council meetings will be held Tuesdays at 2 p.m. and shall adjourn by 4:00 p.m. unless the Academic Senate Council votes to extend the meeting. At the first meeting in the fall semester the Academic Senate President, with the approval of the Council shall establish the schedule of Council meetings for the academic year. Section 2. An agenda workgroup, consisting of the officers (president, vice-president and corresponding secretary), the full-time rep at large and a part-time representative-at-large, shall meet regularly to prepare an agenda for Academic Senate Council approval. Faculty members may submit an agenda item for consideration to the agenda work group. Section 3. If disagreement between the Academic Senate Council and a standing committee cannot be resolved, a vote of the Academic Senate will be called for by the Council. Section 4. The Academic Senate President may vote only to resolve a tie vote. Section 5. Academic Senate Voluntary Fund The Academic Senate Administrative Secretary shall make available to the Academic Senate President and Council information on the finances of the Academic Senate Voluntary Fund which includes the undesignated Voluntary Fund and the Legal Defense Fund at regular intervals or as requested. A. The Undesignated Voluntary Fund 1. The Undesignated Voluntary Fund shall be used to fund all or part of the following: the Faculty Lecturer, Dinner Theater, Retirement Banquet, and the Legal Defense Fund. At the beginning of each academic year, the Academic Senate President will provide a report on the previous year s Voluntary Fund expenditures and provide an overview of projected activities and expenses for the current academic year. 2. Additional activities to be funded by the Voluntary Fund may include but are not 1
limited to scholarships, and other activities proposed to Academic Senate Council. Academic Senate Council will vote on proposed activities. 3. No funds shall be appropriated for the campaign of a candidate for public office or for a campaign pertaining to a public ballot proposition. 4. Checks on Voluntary Fund accounts shall bear the signatures of two officers of the Academic Senate Council. 5. The Academic Senate President and Vice-President may purchase a gift or make a memorial donation to a charity in the name of a member of the campus community from the Academic Senate Voluntary Fund without prior Academic Senate Council approval if the amount does not exceed $100. The gift purchase shall be announced at the Council meeting following the decision of the Academic Senate President and Vice- President. B. The Legal Defense Fund 1. Monies for legal expenses of the Academic Senate are allocated out of the Legal Defense Fund. 2. At the beginning of each academic year, the Academic Senate President will provide report on the current status of the Legal Defense Fund, the previous year s legal expenditures, and provide projected expenses for the current academic year. 3. Proposed changes to expenditures from the Legal Defense Fund must be approved by Academic Senate Council. 4. New legal expenditures will be presented to Academic Senate Council. Academic Senate Council will determine whether Academic Senate Council will vote and/or the Academic Senate of the whole vote must occur to approve the new legal expenditures. Section 6. The Academic Senate Council shall grant recognition at its meetings to representatives of the faculty collective bargaining organization. Section 7. In accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and SB 751, minutes of the DVC Academic Senate Council will record the votes of all committee members as follows: Members in attendance will have their votes recorded including names of members voting in the minority or abstaining. Section 8. Meetings of the Academic Senate Council are open to all, including members of the press, unless a closed session has been called in accordance with the Brown Act (Education Code, Sections 54950-54959). Article III: Officers of the Academic Senate Council In addition to the responsibilities of the officers as described in the Constitution (Article IV, Section 3) the officers shall be responsible for those duties enumerated below. 2
Section 1. Academic Senate President The Academic Senate President is responsible for the following: A. Faculty Serving On Committees 1. Senate Committees The Academic Senate President is responsible to ensure committee membership and committee chair positions are filled. Forwards to Academic Senate Council faculty appointments to Senate committees as established in committee descriptions. 2. College Committees Recruits faculty for college committees as established in committee descriptions and forwards their names to the Council for appointment approval. 3. The Academic Senate President may provide a stipend or reassigned time for chairing college or senate committees. B. Representation 1. Represents the Academic Senate s voice in academic and professional matters before the Governing Board, the Chancellor, and the college administration. 2. Represents the Academic Senate at the state and regional meetings of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges. The Senate President may send a designee. The Academic Senate representative at ASCCC Plenary Session will consult with Academic Senate Council before voting. 3. Appoints, with the approval of the Academic Senate Council, a delegate to serve on state and regional task forces, workgroups, etc. of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges. 4. Represents the Academic Senate before the Governing Board, the Chancellor, and the college administration. C. Office Operational Duties 1. Supervises, and administers, the Academic Senate operational and voluntary budgets. Reports the budgets to the Academic Senate Council. a. Allocates operational monies from district and college funds for Academic Senate activities to provide services and compensation as outlined in the Academic Senate budget guidelines established in District business procedure. (CCCCD BP 18.04) b. Determines and allocates reassigned time to Academic Senate members with delegated Academic Senate responsibilities in order to compensate such recipients for duties, tasks or special projects beyond their professional responsibilities. c. Presents for Academic Senate Council approval of voluntary fund expenditures in the amount of $100.00. 3
2. Trains and oversees a classified Administrative Secretary, to assist in such matters as the recording of minutes, record keeping, financial reporting and correspondence. Other tasks may be assigned by the Academic Senate President, in accordance with the job description, toward the efficient accomplishment of Academic Senate business. D. Additional Responsibilities 1. The Academic Senate President is responsible to review and present to Academic Senate Council state mandated college reports. Upon Academic Senate Council approval the Academic Senate President shall sign off on state mandated college reports. E. Schedules and chairs meetings of the Agenda Work Group to develop Academic Senate Council meeting agendas. F. Insures regular reporting from all Academic Senate Committees to the Council. G. Serves as a member of the district Academic/Faculty Senates Coordinating Council (A/FSCC) and chairs A/FSCC when elected. H. Reviews, edits, critiques, and summarizes college, district and statewide documents. I. Edits minutes of Academic Senate Council meetings J. Other duties as necessitated by the position. Section 2. Vice-President A. Performs the duties of the Academic Senate President in his/her absence including but not limited to 1. Acts as chair in place of the Academic Senate President at Academic Senate Council meetings, and performs the duties of the Senate President in his/her absence. 2. Represents the Academic Senate at the state and regional meetings of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, and originates drafts of policy statements and resolutions for these meetings. B. Chairs one of the Academic Senate standing committees or college committees if assigned by the Academic Senate President with a vote of endorsement by the Academic Senate Council. C. Edits minutes of Academic Senate Council meetings and those meetings where substituting for the Academic Senate President. E. Reviews, edits, critiques, and summarizes college, district and statewide documents. J. Serves on the Agenda Work Group to develop Academic Senate Council meeting agendas. 4
F. Serves as a member of the District Faculty/Academic Senates Coordinating Council. Section 3. Corresponding Secretary A. Serves on the Agenda Work Group to develop Academic Senate Council meeting agendas. B. Assist in conducting Council meetings by ensuring documents are available for Council viewing. C. Represents the Academic Senate Council at the state and regional meetings of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges as an alternate if neither Academic Senate President nor Vice President can attend. D. And other responsibilities as mutually agreed upon with the Senate president. Article IV: Academic Senate Standing Committees/Task Forces/Workgroups Section 1 Committees A. Any committee procedure not covered by the Academic Senate Constitution or by these bylaws shall be covered by "Roberts Rules of Order," most current edition. B. Academic Senate standing committees shall meet on a regular basis. Meeting schedules including dates and times and locations shall be established by committee chairs in consultation with Academic Senate President. C. The first committee meeting of each academic year shall be scheduled by the Academic Senate President or the committee chair. D. The quorum for each Academic Senate standing committee shall consist of a majority of the voting membership, not including vacant positions. A simple majority of those voting shall carry a motion. E. Each Academic Senate committee chair shall be responsible for record keeping. All official committee agendas, minutes, actions and resolutions shall be recorded and sent to the Academic Senate Office for distribution, action, and/or filing as appropriate. The minutes shall list those members in attendance, those that are absent and all voting records of committee members. F. Selection of Academic Senate Committee Members Each Academic Senate standing committee has in its charge and description of how membership is selected for that committee. There are three selection methods for committee membership. These include division elected, appointments from each division by the Academic Senate President, and at-large appointees by the Academic Senate President. 1. If any member of an Academic Senate committee that was a division elected representative resigns, withdraws, or for any reason is not attending, the 5
committee chair shall immediately notify the Academic Senate President and the division dean that the division has lost its representation on the committee. 2. If any member of a Academic Senate committee that was appointed by the Academic Senate President from a division resigns, withdraws, or for any reason is not attending, the committee chair shall immediately notify the Academic Senate President. The Academic Senate President will determine the appropriate follow-up course of action. 3. If any member of a Academic Senate committee that was from an at-large appointment by the Academic Senate President resigns, withdraws, or for any reason is not attending, the committee chair shall immediately notify the Academic Senate President. The Academic Senate President will determine the appropriate follow-up course of action. G. All committee meetings are open to the public including the press, unless a closed session has been called in accordance with the Brown Act (Education Code, Section 54950-54959). H. The terms of faculty representatives to Academic Senate standing committees shall be shall be voted on and approved by the Academic Senate Council and stated in the committee description. I. Policies developed by Academic Senate standing committees must be approved by the Academic Senate Council before being forwarded by the Council to the college president for approval. J. Academic Senate Standing Committees: Arts and Lectures Curriculum Distance Education Professional Development Scheduling Scholarship Student Learning Outcomes Student Services Tutoring Advisory Academic Senate standing committees will have a charge, membership and term length established with approval from the Academic Senate Council. Proposed changes to charge membership or term length may be proposed from the committee or from Council. See DVC Academic Senate Committee Handbook for the description and membership of each standing committee. Section 2. Task Force/Work Groups 1. Each task force will have a charge and description of membership and selection process approved by the Academic Senate Council. 2. The Academic Senate President will consult with the AS Council on the development of a work group and its participants. 6
Article V. Faculty Representation on Committees and Task Forces The Academic Senate Council appoints faculty to serve on college, district, and state task forces and committees. The faculty member shall represent the DVC Academic Senate Council and shall solicit the input of the Academic Senate. In addition, the faculty representative will provide reports as agreed upon with the Academic Senate President. Article VI: ElectionsFull- and PartTime faculty for Academic Senate Council Section 1. All full-time faculty will be notified through their college email of the criteria and the procedure to run for elected offices of the Academic Senate Council and the dates of the election. All part-time faculty will be notified through their college email of the criteria and the procedure to run for part-time representatives and the dates of election. Section 2. All faculty shall receive ballots through their college emails and shall vote electronically. 7